it's not just 'sucking in your tummy', it's engaging your core muscles (those in your abdominal area) to help you balance better and sit better on a horse. don't just think of sucking in, think of using your core to help you. it's easier to do than to explain, lol, but it does help.

what i do is go into sitting trot and without overly tensing/bracing my mid-section, i engage those muscles to help me move with my horse. you can't hold yourself all rigid and hold your breath, but you can't let your core be un-engaged and weak either. it is a fine line between doing it right and doing it wrong.

What's awesome is that you can train yourself on this at home! Get a giant exercise ball, big enough to sit on. Sit on said ball, put your ankles against the side of the ball and use your abs (and thighs)to stay balanced without touching the wall or floor.Posted via Mobile Device

Ok. thinking about the blah blah. no, really , the belly and core part. one thing that can help you feel how it feels to be really down IN your saddle:

take hold of the pommel, or ,if a Western saddle, the fork area by the side of the horn (NOT the horn itself) or the "OMG" strap (bucking strap) , and pull yourself straight DOWN into the saddle. do it while the horse is walking along, so just hold your reins in one hand. follow his movment. make sure you are pulling your seatbones down, not your pee-pee, as if a giant magnet was sucking you straigt down into the saddle. FEEL that, now let go. try to maintain the same feeling, but without your hand pulling you down. you'll have to pushdown, with your abdominal muslces. as you'd do when saying "hah, hah, hah," same as coughing, or pooing , if you'd perfer. you will feel as deep into the saddle as you can get.

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